Reported to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology: Pittsburgh Study Suggests Asthma Medication May Provide Relief for the Common Cold
Posted on: Tuesday, 27 February 2007, 12:00 CST
PITTSBURGH, Feb. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Singulair, a commonly prescribed medication to treat asthma and allergies, may provide relief for the common cold, according to a study conducted by physicians in the Division of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology at Allegheny General Hospital (AGH) in Pittsburgh. The study is being presented today at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology in San Diego.
"This study showed that treatment with Singulair (montelukast) resulted in a faster resolution of signs and symptoms of the common cold," said Deborah Gentile, MD, study lead investigator, and director of research, AGH Division of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.
The double-blinded study examined 81 participants; 41 received a placebo and 40 received Singulair. Study participants began treatment for their cold within 24 hours of the cold's onset. They were required to continue treatment once a day for five consecutive days and were asked to complete a questionnaire on how they felt on each of those days. In addition, participants were asked that when they blew their nose, to keep the tissues in a bag to be weighed. The weight of the bags was less for patients taking Singulair than for those who weren't.
"We found that the cold symptoms and runny nose, as well as the duration of the cold, were cut in half in the group that took Singulair," Dr. Gentile explained. "Singulair works by blocking the effects of leukotrienes, chemicals that are produced by our body during episodes of inflammation or swelling and are linked to the development of cold symptoms and runny nose. The results of our study suggest that blocking leukotrienes may reduce or prevent these conditions."
Future studies are planned to examine more patients and to determine if Singulair prevents complications of the common cold, such as ear and sinus infections, wheezing and asthma.
Allegheny General Hospital
CONTACT: Heather Holtschlag of Allegheny General Hospital,+1-412-359-8604
Source: PRNewswire
Related Articles
- Inspire Announces Poster Presentations at 2008 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) Annual Meeting
- Research and Markets: The 'Oxford Handbook Of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Second Edition' Reflects the Significant Developments That Have Occurred in the Field Over Recent Years
- Inspire to Present Data at 2007 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) Annual Meeting
- Daxor Announces Allegheny General Hospital of Pittsburgh, PA Acquires Blood Volume Analyzer BVA-100
- Allegheny General Hospital's Liver Transplant Plan Gets Mixed Reaction
- Allegheny General Hospital Schedules Second Press Briefing on Coal Mine Accident Victim Randal McCloy, 6 P.M. Saturday
- Allegheny General Hospital Press Briefing on Coal Mine Accident Victim Randal McCloy Scheduled for 2 P.M. (EST)
- Allegheny General Hospital Plans Second Press Briefing on Coal Mine Accident Victim Randal McCloy
- Quality of Care Not Necessarily Better in Hospitals That Participate in Quality Improvement Program
- Hybridon Announces Two Presentations at the American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology Annual Meeting
 |
 |
User Comments (0)
RSS Feeds